India to axe down on more web series in coming weeks

Controversy in India over Amazon Prime's political drama "Tandav" has put Bollywood and global video streaming giants on edge. 

Streaming giants such as Amazon Prime Video and Netflix are inspecting planned shows and scripts, with some even deleting scenes that could be controversial, reports Hindustan Times.

Operation Clean-up has started where shows with references to religion, politics and real-life characters will be wiped out from all the major streaming platforms. 

One major filmmaker has come forth regarding the clean-up process. He said, "You can't even make a mythological which at one time was considered the safest genre. Now anyone can get up and raise an objection to anything to do with religion. So sorry, no mythological, no Ramayan no Mahabharat, no Bible or Quran either," reports Bollywood Hungama. 

"Even here when you have children in a series you have to make sure they behave as per the rules of decency. You can't show them attending rave parties or using bad language because as we all know, children don't do these things," the director ends sarcastically.

Filmmakers with political scripts have been given two options: change the name of the country or make something else. As for religion, you can't show any picture of Gods or Goddesses in any frame lest someone objects to the unacceptable placing of a photo of a deity or even the exclamation, "Oh God."

This move comes as Amazon Prime Video has become embroiled in legal cases and police complaints alleging "Tandav" depicts Hindu gods and goddesses in a derogatory manner and offends religious beliefs. 

Netflix also faced backlash when a member of the ruling party's youth wing made a police complaint objecting to scenes in the series "A Suitable Boy" showing a Hindu girl kissing a Muslim boy against the backdrop of a Hindu temple.